Simon's Brewery Build

[simonranson]

Today is the day to get building :)

I've had the pots for a week or so, and other odds and ends have been turing up in the post (much to the annoyance to the people at work!). I'm still waiting on the silicone washers and elements to arrive, but I've got plenty to get on with.

Hole #1 has been cut in the HLT. I must say that Cobalt drills and Q-max cutters go through the stainless like a knife through butter. Anyway better crack on. Here's the before picture, I'll post some more later...

Cheers
Simon

 

[commsbiff]

:thumb: Looking forward to your updtaes :

 

[simonranson]

Update #1

Following Vossy's great 'how-to' I got the pot on the flat and measured half-way between the two handles, and then a quarter of the way. Using a spirit level these two marks were projected down to the bottom of the pot. I measured 52mm up from the table and crossed the two bottom lines, and then measured down 30mm for the top sight-glass hole.

A quick 4mm pilot hole through the pot was followed by a 10mm, large enough for the Q-max cutter bolt. In no time at all the holes were cut.

It was then time to cut the tube for the sight-glass. this didnt take a minute. A 'dry' assembly and it looks okay.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Looking good, Keep up the good work......... Are you going down the HERMS route?

BB :thumb:

 

[simonranson]

Thanks BB. Its good to get building :)

At the moment I dont plan on going down the HERMS route as of day 1, although when I get my head round the control and pumping it may be a fun upgrade project.

Cheers
Simon

 

[simonranson]

Just done the HLT. Just used an elbow for the pickup on this one. A job for this afternoon is the hop strainer...

... here they are :)

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Very Nice. :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[simonranson]

That's the hop strainer done. I can't go any further with the HLT and boiler until the elements arrive.

I've got a day off tomorrow, so will make some noise with the angle grinder and make a start on the mash tun.

Cheers
Simon

 

[dan_loves_beer]

Looking good :thumb: I'm almost there with mine too. Just finished my stand and fitted sight tubes. its interesting seeing how everyone's projects turn out.

 

[simonranson]

I've got most of the mash tun built this morning. Its noticable now much thinner the metal is on the thermos having done a couple of stockpots over the weekend.

It was all marked out, and attacked with the cutter. Sparks, smoke and a horrible smell. Just the thing for a Monday morning :)

I used a 1/2" F to 15mm compression elbow for the drain. on the back of this I put a cutdown 1/2" flange nut.

The marking out...

First cuts...

Second cuts to get the bit under the rolled-edge out the way...

Plumbing...

The last job is to cut the threads down on the elbow. I may just cut 4 slots in this instead...

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Don't forget to cut the thread down to achive more drain off and maybe cut a slit in the flange.

Mine :thumb:

 

[simonranson]

I'll be getting the grinder out again to chop the threads. Cutting some slots in the flange is a good idea. The theoretical dead-space is only 240ml... the slots could get this down a little further :)

 

[alanbamber123]

Wow. I am jealous
Very shiny

 

[barkar]

Can i ask on your HLT and boiler build , you have put copper pipe with a bend on it nearly to the bottom of the inside of the boiler - attached to teh inside of your tap outlet, can i ask why? , does this help with syphoning effect etc, i didnt do it on my build but maybe i should have:wha:

All looks good btw where did you get the strainer ?

 

[simonranson]

Can i ask on your HLT and boiler build , you have put copper pipe with a bend on it nearly to the bottom of the inside of the boiler - attached to teh inside of your tap outlet, can i ask why? , does this help with syphoning effect etc, i didnt do it on my build but maybe i should have:wha:

I put the elbow on as the outlet is about 50mm up from the bottom of the pot so there is about 5 litres of water under the outlet. The elbow allows me to use this water, rather than it just being dead-space.

All looks good btw where did you get the strainer ?

I made the strainer wityh a couple of sheets of stainless mesh from http://www.inoxia.co.uk/rw/category/9.aspx. I punched a hole in the middle of one sheet with a q-max cutter, then put a 1/2" tank connector through the hole with a 1/2" to 15mm commpression elbow on the end. The edges on the two sheets were then bent over one another to 'seal' it up. Take care if you give one a go as the wire that makes up the mesh is vicious!!


Cheers
Simon

 

[barkar]

thanks , in realtion to the spigot will it drain completely even though the water is below the line of the tap ie it syhpons ? I have a 100l pot and even though the tap is quite low in the pot i have dead space which could be somewhere between 5- 10 litres!

That mesh looks good what one did you get 40 -80 mesh ?

 

[simonranson]

For it to syphon out, then the pipe on the outlet needs to be lower than the pickup. I'm thinking about putting a pump on the outlet, so not too much of an issue.

I went for the 60 mesh. Not sure if it'll be too fine, but only time will tell :)

 

[Aleman]

I went for the 60 mesh. Not sure if it'll be too fine, but only time will tell :)

#60 Mesh is ok, provided you have a big surface area (Like a 30 by 30 sheet) otherwise run off can be dreadfully slow. I have #30 mesh on mine and run off is fine even using a mix of whole leaf an pellet hops. . . . I might go as low as #40 mesh just to prevent anything getting stuck in my plate chiller

 

[simonranson]

#60 Mesh is ok, provided you have a big surface area (Like a 30 by 30 sheet)

Thanks, that's good to know. I started out two 30x30 sheets, but with the folded sides I guess I'm down to 27x27.

Cheers
Simon

 

[Sean_Mc]

Tidy work Simon :thumb:

I've all the bits sitting in the shed for my two nordic pots to be converted in to a HLT and boiler.
Off for the next few days so will see how I go